SEAWEEDS. 629 
and pepper; some persons prefer it cooked with leeks, or with 
onions. It varies in size, and colour, between tide-marks, being 
sometimes long, and ribbon-like, of a violet, or purple hue ; 
at other times long, and broad, whilst changed to a reddish 
purple, or yellow. Laver, besides its beneficial use as food, 
can exercise remarkable healing powers; it may be applied, 
when boiled in its own juices, over a cut, or open sore, and tied 
on for three, or four hours, when a thin skin will form over the 
wound ; and after repeating this application two or three times, 
the cut generally heals up entirely, and only a very small scar 
is left. The cooking of Laver for table consists usually in an 
addition of butter, and Seville orange juice, heating the mixture 
over a spirit lamp, whilst stirring until ready for being served. 
It is eaten with roast meat, and seldom liked at first, but 
becoming agreeable by habit. Laver bread is a food made from 
green Laver. The Ulva latissima, a Seaweed of deep-green 
colour, called by fishermen Oyster-green (because used for 
covering over oysters), is less palatable, though an anti-scorbutic 
weed. ; 
Samphire (Crithnum maritimum, ‘“‘ Herbe de Saint Pierre”), 
which grows in clefts of rocks close to the sea, is highly esteemed 
as a pickle when made from the young leaves. The genuine 
Samphire is a small plant bearing yellow flowers, in circular 
umbels, on the tops of the stalks, which flowers are followed by 
seeds like those of fennel, but larger; the leaves are juicy, with 
a warm aromatic flavour, and are excellent against scurvy. 
Persons living by the coast cook Samphire as a pot herb; 
formerly it was cried regularly in the London streets by the name 
of Crest Marine. Evelyn has praised its virtues against spleen. 
A spurious Samphire (Inula crithmoides) is often supplied instead 
of the real plant, having a different taste, and but few of the 
true virtues; this grows more plentifully on low rocks, and on 
ground washed by salt water. Gerarde says about Samphire : 
‘Tt is the pleasantest sauce, most familiar, and best agreeing 
with man’s body.” ‘“‘ Preferable,” adds Evelyn, “ for cleansing 
the passages, and sharpening appetite, to most of our hotter 
herbs, and salad ingredients.” 
“* Green girdles, and crowns of the sea gods, 
Cool blossoms of water, and foam.” 
In the West of Ireland, by the sea coast, a dish seen very 
